Your comments and tips

02 Feb 09, Andris (Australia - temperate climate)

To answer Kelvin: Yes, just like you do for tomatoes, and for the same reasons (pinch out the shoots between the main stems and the leaf stems to focus more energy on the fruit). To answer Rachel: Check what the mature size is (Black beauty, the most common one, grows to around 16cm) and pick a bit before that size when the skin should be firm, dark and shiny. They tend to be nicer a bit before full maturity. I am in adelaide and even with the intense (Intense!) weather (my citrus plants all have a fair few fried leaves), the eggplants can generally take it. A few flowers have died and dropped off (but lots more flowers coming up), but keep hitting them with heaps of water and they will be fine.

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11 Feb 09, LORRAINE (Australia - temperate climate)

To answer Ray & Joanne about grubs. They are probably Fruit Fly. This pest can destroy huge crops of fruit and fruiting vegetables.

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14 Feb 09, greg (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

I have grown 5 plants of black beauty this year all have cropped very well only problem is that they are not black. as they grow they get paler, some are quite greenish but they taste fine does anybody know why the colour is woshed out thanks

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15 Feb 09, Tandara (Australia - temperate climate)

Can eggplants become poisoness if left too long after ripening? Mine have become soft and lost there nice shiny lustre and have become dull and have green patches.

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04 Mar 09, Mohan U. (Australia - temperate climate)

Planted five into the ground and two in pots. All are fine and have yielded on an average two fruits. Quite some pests - mites etc. Regular spray of fine water to dislodge them. The only fertiliser used was blood n. bone with some calcium nitrate.

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13 Mar 09, Alex (Australia - temperate climate)

I think I made the mistake of only planting a single Eggplant seedling. It seems to be growing very very slowly (if at all). Are there any tips on having them flower and fruit. It is currently planted in ground, facing north and getting full sun.

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22 Mar 09, Kim (Australia - temperate climate)

Same comment as Greg, I'm in Adelaide and the longer I leave the fruit on the tree the paler they seem to become. Is it still okay to eat?

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28 Mar 09, marina (Australia - temperate climate)

It's late March. My purple egg plants have lots of blossoms but most fall. Very few carry to fruit? Any ideas on why this is so?

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30 Mar 09, David (Australia - temperate climate)

Marina: I was having the same problem (West Sydney). I finally solved it by watering every other day and 1 application of a handful of potash. 2 plants have so far given 5 with 5 more fruit growing and 4 more flowers

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31 Mar 09, marina (Australia - temperate climate)

Thanks David. I suspected too much water could be a culprit and I'm going to do the potash thing. Happy eggplanting!

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